Researched records state that miniature horses were first developed from a wide range of horse breeds in Europe in the 1600s. Over one hundred years later the mini horses were mainly used as pets by the nobility and given as gifts to their children. Eventually the horses were used for work in the coal pits to replace young children under the age of ten years old and all women, who in 1842 were banned from working in the mines. ‘The Mines and Collieries Act 1842 was an act of Parliament – UK.’

Image from Flickrr – rjecahn

In the 19th century, they were brought to the U.S. specifically for the coal mining industry.

Thumbelina, a fully mature miniature horse, holds the current record for being the world’s smallest horse. She is affected by dwarfism and is only 17 inches tall, weighing in at 57 lbs.

On the other hand, Einstein is also recorded as being one of the smallest miniature horses, due to the fact that he is a pure miniature horse and not affected by dwarfism at all.

According to the Guinness World Records, ‘Lovebug’, owned by Krystal Cole in USA, holds the record for the highest jump by a miniature pygmy horse. The jump was for 24 inches.

Miniature horses have a wonderful nature. They are very kind and gentle animals.

They are a perfect miniature version of a horse.

They make great family pets and love to be able to walk around the house, just as any pet would.

Miniature Horse Breeds

For all the information on the mini horse breeds around the world, would take at least another very long article but I do suggest that you look at the following page which you will find a lot of information on miniature horse breeds.

Miniature Horse Personality

Because of their kind nature, with training, miniature horses can become excellent ‘animal therapy’ in hospitals to help sick children deal with their illnesses. These wonderful animals lift a child’s spirit as they allow the child to stroke and cuddle them.

They are also brought into nursing homes to cheer up the elderly residents. Many of the residents may have had horses earlier in their lives and seeing the miniature horses in such close proximity, could bring joy into their lives.

“Small in stature, they have the biggest hearts in the animal kingdom. Being mild tempered, kind, calm and gentle animals, a quality of which is crucial because they have a very important job to do, the horses bring so much love and joy where ever they go.

With every visit to a hospital or care home, mini horses bring love and laughter and smiles to all who need healing or cheering up. They bring with them an exchange of unconditional love between the horse and the child or elderly person.”

Some fun mini horse videos

Miniature horse dancing. A cute video of one miniature horse having a dance!

Miniature Horse Care

Feeding: Miniature horses can be greedy little animals and try to eat more than they need. They have a sweet tooth and enjoy apples, candy and breakfast cereal but owners have to be careful not to over feed them. In the main, they love grass. An owner could save on a lawn mower by owning a miniature horse.

In the winter, as a rule, one bale of hay should be enough for one mini horse for a whole week, added with a small amount of crimped oats.

Clean cool water should always be easily accessible for a mini horse as well as a trace mineral salt block.

These particular horses do not get fleas, for the simple reason that fleas have a natural aversion to their horse skin.

Their general health is dependent upon air flow! Because of their short legs, it’s important that they have sufficient airflow in their stables so that they have enough breathing space. To ensure this, the answer is to have a door built, thus allowing the miniature horse to put his head over the ‘mini’ door.

Horse Grooming:

Daily grooming has many important benefits for a miniature horse. Firstly, the horse gets used to being touched regularly and secondly, probably most importantly, the grooming time creates a bond between the horse and the person grooming it.

When grooming never brush against the hair. To keep the coat shiny and soft, brush as the hair grows. Also brush the mane and tail to keep it free of tangles.

Their hooves have the potential to be a major health concern. If care of the hooves is ignored or they are incorrectly trimmed, this can cause serious trouble. Their feet should be trimmed at an early age to help prevent any problems in the future. Also, they should be trimmed for balance on a regular basis. A farrier would need to be employed for this task unless the owner had training on how to perform this task.

The saying “no hoof, no horse” underlines how much the health and the power of the hoof is vital for horse soundness.

Worming to protect their intestines, should be carried out regularly, just as you would with any other pet.

The Smallest Miniature Horse …

Harry … the smallest horse in New Zealand

Koda … the smallest horse in Australia.

Seems Koda like to sit in the front of the car too!

Miniature Horse For Sale

No! I have not got one for sale but, after watching all the videos above, I may need to apologize to parents because I’m pretty sure a lot of you may find yourselves searching for miniature horse for sale adverts! Children have a way of twisting us around their little fingers, especially when it’s for something so adorable.

If that happens to be the case then please consider contacting your local veterinary physician for the best advice possible.

Miniature Horse Rescue

Many charities have been set up around the world to protect miniature horses from various elements and sadly this can include cruelty by their owners or other people. However, the rescue services are fast to act and have an excellent record overall.

These rescued mini horses are normally put up for adoption where ever possible.

Children love miniature horses and with that thought in mind, the Skellee admin at the Skellee Rescue Service has added a new Skellee Superhero rescue story which is all about a miniature horse rescue. Superhero Jack Skellee – The Horse Jumping Disaster.

I hope you enjoyed this article and if so, please leave a comment below or share it with your friends. Thanks so much.
AnneMarie – the Skellee Admin Worker –